Some good carbonation on the pour, with a good white foamy head. Very decent lacing with a cloudy body of a buttery dark gold consistency. Head does go, but stays in a 3mm ring and never leaves.

Bouquet at first is quite subdued... but it needs time to open up... An aggressive pour to give it bigger head really makes a difference. Hops and yeast and a sweet and sour component that I can't quite pinpoint. This is a very balanced nose where you can smell around and find things without one scent dominating the rest. Smells somewhat pilsner like and a faint sour zest (lemon/lime take your pick).

Faint apricot with good notes of yeast and bread. Big carbonated and bitter finish but dissipates as you drink more to a nice bread chew character with some lemon. Taste is "tangy" with a nice SNAP to it. Bitter at first but becomes more tolerable as you have more.

This is a beer that takes patience to get through but rewards greatly when you stick with it making a very high drinkability.

Big corked bottle into my giant snifter...the head on this baby is so big it still will take two glasses. Pours a fairly bright pale yellow with a head that will wows even with a gentle pour. Nose is funky Belgian yeast, rich and deep in the nose, with an undercurrent of fruitness and a delightfully aftertaste that is just barely sour in a light and wonderful way. There is no unpleasantness at all in any of the flavors. It's more bitter than one might expect, but this is not to say it's unbalanced. On the contrary, the balance is exceptional. I took this out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving and I would recommend to anyone drinking this to serve it at the proper temperature rather than right out of the fridge and in a glass other than a pint glass, one with curves that will bring out the nose. A true champion of beers, but one expects nothing less from any of the Trappists.

A: like an over ripened orange and hazy, not really cloudy but still opaque. Half to one finger of white head that thins out. Slightly effervescent and leaves small amounts of thin lacing.

S: oranges and dark citrus fruits with a good amout of fruity yeast esters and biscuity malt notes. Its heavy on the malt and yeast but the hops are defiantly present.

T: same dark citrus fruits and still heavy on the malt and yeast. Biscuit is there through the whole taste and it ends with something similar to a granny smith apple taste (I now there is a word for it that starts with a D but I can't remember it). A bit peppery in the after taste that lingers.

MF: it has a medium body and is creamy, its also fairly effervescent. The alcohol isn't at all noticeable and the flavors transfer into one another smoothly. This is a filling beer that could easily double as a small meal!

D: you can almost taste the rarity! Yum! All kidding aside this beer has been brewed to a standard that can not easily be met. There is a special feeling you get when you drink a trappist ale. They are brewed to such prefection that not only are they the tastyest beers in the world they also have a story. This is an easy buy again when I can find it!

We pour a brew of a color somewhere between pale straw and deep orange. It is entirely opaque, without large particulates, and has a dull glow. The creamy head is one and a half fingers of big white bubbles, maintaining serious retention. As we sip thick lacing clings around the glass. The aroma is light, with bright wheat and yeast hitting the nose up front. There are also notes of honey, orange, and faint vanilla bean. Tasting, we first get the grain bill, of what seems to be predominantly wheat, with bitter yeast and the faintest brush of cool vanilla. The middle smoothes out a bit, but the bitterness remains intact. All of this carries through to the finish, and is added to by citrus, which finally comes through, and a bit of soapy hops. The aftertaste, too, breathes bitterly of wheat, yeast, and orange rind. This is also where the generous alcohol comes out, with that spicy, peppery warmth. The body of the beer is medium and the carbonation is light to medium. The feel is particularly smooth and creamy, especially at first with the frothy head, and the mouth is left, while slightly coated, quite dry. The abv is up there, but appropriate, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we liked most about this brew was the nice warming finish and its creamy mouthfeel. On a cold night like tonight this certainly fit the bill. The alcohol content is well hidden until the very end of the sip, and on into the aftertaste, which makes for a nice ending. On an interesting note, we were surprised at how bitter the taste was throughout. Judging by the aroma, as well as the style, which can get very sweet, we were expecting something with a bit more balance to the bitter characteristics of the brew. This is not to say that it was unpleasant, but rather that it was a curious departure from many of its brethren.

Surprisingly mellow flavor for its strength: light, sweet, not unlike a weizen with a more complex, spicy character. Ends a little dry & even peppery in the aftertaste. Alcohol is well-hidden, but some pops out when given a swish in the mouth.

Creamy, smooth, with just a tingle that's nowhere near harsh or biting.

I'm impressed! It's been a long time since a tripel did much for me, & this one is great: flavor, full, yet restrained & in no way overwhelming. I'd be a little wary of the alcohol, 'cause it's barely noticeable, but this is one that's good for two.

d - A very good, enjoyable Belgian tripel. While nothing blew me away in the smell or taste it had all the classic Belgian tripel characteristics and was quite enjoyable. Considering how cheap and accessible this one is, I would definitely buy it again.

This tripel from the monks of the Westmalle brewery has lots foamy head, the consistency of beaten egg whites. I had to pour this one in a couple of stages as the fast and tall head. It falls in a minute or so, but leaves lots of sticky lacing. The beer has a cloudy, honey colour. At first, it was kind of fun watching the sediment rise and fall in the glass, like a snow globe.

The smell is sweet, with yeast in the background. Tropical fruits like pineapple & lychee are there. A milder dough / spice smell rounds things out.

Given the style, and that it's 9.5% alcohol, it's quite surprising how easy (and pleasant) this one is to drink. It's almost like a lighter version of an IPA. Other than what's in the smell, you can also taste a bit of apple, and some oats / oatmeal in the background... the overall "brightness" of the beer hides it. The alcohol is so subtle... it's like it only acts as something to clear and brighten the flavours... keeping things in a subtle balance.

This is a really drinkable beer. Bright, light, and a bit of a bitter finish.

Overall, great! It should be accessible to anyone, even if they're not a drinker or strong, Belgian, or Trappist beers. This is some special stuff!

Settling into becoming a beer advocate, I've learned that the Tripel is becoming a fast favorite for me. The sweet, crisp bitterness, the high alcohol %, the alluring fumes...it's all just great stuff. So, does this Belgian Trip deliver another swell wallop of brew goodness?

Yep!

Pours almost soda-like with nice foamy bubbles which settle into a skimming layer of white bubblies. Cloudy orange/mandarin color with some solid, sticky lace as well.

Pungent and wonderful smell that hits like a brick; a brick dunked in potpourri, sprayed with tart fruit and hand-washed in a barrel of spices.

Like the smell we got here a strong sipping Trip that puts an instant smile on that face o' yers. Sweet, spicy, slight citric feel that goes down smooth and creamy, but leaves a warming feel of booze in the back of your gullet.

Drinkability is through the damn roof here. At 9.5% and it being hidden as a motherfucker, you'd be careful to take heed here. I could play beer pong with this beer and be loaded by the end of the first game. It's goood.

Appearance: Pours bright, hazy golden-orange color with a large white head that has very big bubbles in it and dissipates slowly, leaving behind spotty lace.

Smell: Smells of green apple and yeast, with some biscuity, floral, and grassy notes in the background.

Taste: Begings with a tart green apple flavor and some spice, rounding out to some breadiness and finishing with yeast with medium hop flavor. Some notes of citrus/citrus peel as well.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with carbonation that stings a bit initially, but rounds out and feels more natural. Finishe swarm and sort of dry.

Drinkability: An exceptional tripel- all of the typical tripel flavors are here, but unlike most tripels, none overpowers the other. This is a deceptively easy-drinker for its high ABV, but it's definitely a beer worth savoring.

Pale golden, clear, capped by tons of white, fluffy foam. Plenty of carbonation. The head sticks around, leaving lots of lacing on the glass. Light, spicy aroma, very yeasty with clean malts. Flavor is more malt, again very spicy and yeasty with a slight citrus twang. Mostly dry, silky, with foamy carbonation. A classic Belgian ale.

Taste- Very sharp, almost pops. Some grain, and lots of the strong yeast. Lemon, clove, peppery. The grain really comes through, and it gets astringent. The booze is stronger than I'd expect. It's a little overwhelming.

Mouthfeel- Nice. Good solid body.

Drink- A little boozier than I expected.

This one is grass + grains + booze + lemon. It's a nice beer, but not a favorite.

A: Clear gold color with a pure white dense head that sits on top of the beer. Lots of carbonation in the beer. Sudsy lace left all down the glass.

S: Bready malt with some belgian yeast funk and some fruit, coriander and what smells like nutmeg. There is also a slight hop aroma to the beer.

T: A very sweet and fruity taste at first with a touch of alcohol flavor and warmth. Gives way to a bready malt with some hop, fruit, peppery spice. The finish is peppery and warm from the alcohol and dry.

M: Great carbonation provides a spice and the finish is dry and slightly bitter.

D: A great beer. The strong alcohol is hidden nicely behind a ton of different flavors.

Nice frothy white head with staying power, bubbles of all different sizes trapped in the froth, even after the glass was empty. Typical light amber pale ale color.

Surpassingly little aroma (or I had a cold), a little alcohol noticeable, but little else.

Well carbonated in the mouth - a little foamy even, immediate sweet grain flavor most prominent with some alcohol presence. Skillful interweaving of roasted malts and earthy bread from wood-fired oven. Light hops in the back of the palate with a little after burn from the high gravity.

Poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle into a clear pint glass. Best before 31/08/11. Paid $5.99 at Capital Market.

A-Pours a hazy pale to golden yellow hue with a magnificent three finger, bright white head with long lasting head retention and very heavy lacing. Hard to imagine a finer appearance.

S-"Honey and spice and everything nice" is my first impression. Spices (anise and cloves), honey, and pears. Very pleasant aroma.

T-Satisfactory balance of spice and sweetness, but doesn't quite match the appearance and aroma. At 9.5% ABV the alcohol is very pleasant and welcome, but not evident in the taste. Definitely improved as it warmed.

11.2 ounce bottle, best before end: 09/04/11. Served in a snifter, the beer pours a cloudy golden/orange color with about an inch and half off-white head. Head retention and lacing are both pretty good. Aroma is bready malt, yeast, orange peel, and some fruit and spice (it just smells fruity and spicy in general, I couldn't pick out any one particular fruit or spice). Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but there's also a bit of pear and an earthy taste noticable in the brew. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth but has a little too much carbonation for me. Drinkability is decent, but would be better if the carbonation was lower. But overall, I liked this beer. I'd buy it again in the future.